Arena-DeRosa worked for the USDA for three years, overseeing federal food and nutrition programs throughout the Northeast. He previously spent nearly a decade as the Peace Corps' New England regional director. Before that, he was director of public advocacy for Oxfam America, the anti-poverty organization.

"In sum, my whole life (Oxfam/Peace Corps/Food and Nutrition) has been about serving underrepresented communities and forging partnerships that bridge the government - non-profit/community and business sectors and in these extraordinary times where we have record profits, record stock market highs yet record hunger, we can do better," Arena-DeRosa said in an email.